KPN: Piece of Me
Leading Dutch telco, KPN, wants to make the internet safer. Working with experts, we developed the insight that it's not victims but those who forward intimate images that are responsible for online shaming. We created 'A Piece of Me' – a song and music video we knew Gen Z would share, media would cover, parents and teachers could use to talk about it.
Background:
33% of teens engage in sexting. This is a normal, private way of flirting for teens. But it also makes them vulnerable to online shaming, with potentially serious consequences ranging from depression to loneliness to suicide. Society often blames the victim, but working with experts and those affected, it is clear the conversation needs to be opened up and responsibility shifted to those who press forward
Idea:
Leading Dutch telco, KPN, wants to make the internet safer. Working with experts, we developed the insight that it’s not victims but those who forward intimate images that are responsible for online shaming. We created ‘A Piece of Me’ – a song and music video we knew Gen Z would share, media would cover, parents and teachers could use to talk about it.
Execution:
We collaborated with Dutch pop star MEAU to deliver our message. She interviewed victims of shaming, writing a ‘A Piece of Me” inspired by their experiences. The narrative: He shares an intimate photo, then she shares one. A private moment of flirtation. When he decides to forward the photo, her life quickly unravels with terrible consequences. It’s a story that powerfully delivers the message: Think twice before you forward. The song and videos powerful authenticity is changing behavior and the law.
Results:
- #2 trending for music on YouTube
- Top 3 hit in Netherlands (Spotify)
- 10.4 million Spotify streams
- 202 million PR impressions
- 28 million organic views
- 183% increase in online conversations about shaming
- March 2024: online shaming became part of the sexual criminal act